Preseason Update - READ THIS FIRST

The twisted treeline is in a weird state right now. Towers have next to no armor, and are shredded. As Shen, I was able to push a tower to have it destroyed by the 5 minute mark. Yes, as Shen - A TANK. Warwick completely shreds people once he gets the Devour upgrade for his jungle item, and ults someone. All the items that were suppose to be removed from the game like Sword of the Divine and Atma's Impaler are still there. The 60 second CD on Smite completely changes up the flow of the jungle on this small, fast paced map.

I will upgrade this Guide, but only after riot fixes the map.

Here is a red post with riot mentioning the mistake. After this is fixed, I will update this guide for the preseason. Before that though, there is no point. That doesn't mean that the guide is completely useless, as the flow is still the same, but there are a few outliers that are causing problems in the map at this time.

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my Twisted Treeline Guide. In this guide, I am going to cover how to handle playing TT. The lack of wards in the map gives it a very unique play style compared to Summoners Rift. I am currently Plat 4 in 3s, and have over 1,000 wins in the new Twisted Treeline alone.

Season 4 is over. I will keep this guide updated for any changes that TT receives.

Altar Mechanics

The altar opens up at 3:00.
Altar can be re-captured 90 seconds after it was first captured.
When the altar is neutral, it gives no vision for either team.
When it is captured, it gives true sight of any enemy or enemy trap on it. Decoy and Hallucinate Omen of Death Glory in Death and Children of the Grave are able to capture the altar.
Taking damage stops that person from capturing the altar. If there are 2 people on the altar and only 1 takes damage, then the one that didn't will continue to capture the altar.
You can see how long the altar has before it becomes available again, by looking at the glowing light that circles the inside of it. Once the light is completely gone, then the altar can be captured again.
When you control 1 altar, each kill (monster, creep, or champ) will give 3 bonus gold.
When you control 2 altars, you get +10% attack damage and ability power.
You can not capture an altar that you already control.

Team Comp - The Meta and you.

JunglerKill laneSupportDouble APJungler is the most common one you will see. It consists of a fighter top lane, a jungler, and an AP bot lane. This is generally the easiest to play, as it doesn't require much coordination.
Possible team comp Renekton top, Xin Zhao jungle, Orianna bot

Kill lane has 2 fighters with some form of cc/approach top lane, and an AP bot. This is a pretty popular style. It focuses on getting a massive advantage early and snowballing the entire game.
Possible team comp Pantheon, Jarvan IV top. Zyra bot.

Support has an marksman and a support (usually a tank with cc, not a healer/utility) , and a fighter or AP. This is the hardest to pull off because the marksman is much easier to pick off since there are only 2 other players. Without wards, it is also very hard to build up the farm required to be a threat.
Possible team comp Braum, Jayce/ Vayne top. Lulu bot.

Double AP use to be very strong. It consisted of 2 APCs, and a jungler. This was much more prevalent before patch 4.15. 4.15 reduced the mana regeneration aura from 1.5% of missing mana to 0.7%

What to look for in each roleFighter

Strong Early Game

CC

Escape/Initiation

Mage

Relevent Early Game

CC

Escape/Initiation

Utility

Support

Some Damage

Spammable CC

Initiation

Tankyness

Utility

Jungler

Damage

CC

Initiation

Tankyness

Fast Early Clear

Dueling Capability

Marksmen

Insane Damage

Escape

Relevant Early Game

Utility

You usually wont find all of these qualities for every role. The most important ones, are a good early game, damage, and CC. These will make or break the match for you.

Tier List

I really thought about this section. Should I include it? Should I skip it? Instead of a full blown tier list, I am going to give you a few champs that stand out above the rest. The main reason I am including this section is as a reference on what to look for. Don't use this as a flawless book. Instead, use it as a guide to have a good idea of what to look for.AD Top Renekton, Darius, Yasuo
These champs all have 1 thing in common. They are strong early game, and hard to handle in lane, and outside of it. Renekton and Yasuo both have strong CC, and a good approach/escape. Darius has a lot of damage, and is a huge lane bully. You usually wont get to the point where your opponent will be able to catch up if you play them right.
So the strengths are CC, strong early game, and initiation.

AP BOT Orianna, Lulu, Annie, Syndra,
All of these champs have strong CC. Orianna and Lulu both have very strong utility. All of them but Lulu, have very high damage output as well. What lulu lacks in it, she more than makes up for in other areas though.

Jungle Xin Zhao, Jarvan IV, Maokai
Strong initiation, strong damage, and strong CC. They also all have built in tankyness, and good jungle clear speed. They will be a strong asset to any team because of this combination of things.

Support Braum, Leona,
Braum and Leona are both very strong at sticking to enemy champions, and peeling for whoever they are trying to protect. Add to this how tanky they are, and the insane amount of CC both of them bring, they are among the best support champs possible for 3s.

Marksmen Vayne, Quinn, Lucian
All of these champions are safe, with high damage. They all have some sort of escape, and a strong late game as well.

You want to gear for early to mid game strength. That doesn't mean forsake late game. A lot of items are modified so that they can be accessed easier. Needlessly Large Rod and B. F. Sword being removed are a testament to that.

Understanding the Twisted Treeline - Laning

Please read all of the roles, even if you aren't playing it, so you know what to expect from your teammates.

Pre-Altar

The Twisted Treeline has a very different strategy compared to Summoners Rift. You always want to push your lane. This doesn't mean ignore CS, and just get those minions destroyed. It instead means use your abilities to push and CS at the same time. Also try to hit your laning opponent at the same time. Reaching level 2 first is very important. Mastering these things will make a difference in your match. If you reach level 2 before your opponent there will (ideally) be a chain reaction.
1st: Your opponent will be delayed in reaching level 2. Depending on the amount of pressure you put on them, you will not be able to reach level 2 until the tower is reached.
2nd: Your opponent will not be able to follow you if you invade the jungle. They will have a massive minion wave that, if they abandon, will put them even further behind.

At about this time, your jungler should be invading the jungle to either gank your, or your teammates lane. This is why reaching level 2 first is so important. What happens in this moment, is the first team fight. You have several different options at this point.

If it is your teammates lane that is getting ganked, you can go down as well. If your lane opponent tries to follow you, then you can turn around and kill them. Your jungler might also have a fight at the relic bush. Being pushed enough allows you to join him and make it a 2v1. You can also continue to push out your opponent, and lower their health because the altar will be popping up in a few moments. After you push all the way to tower though, you should join your jungler in the opponents jungle to starve the opposing jungler of farm. Just be sure to never neglect your lane. If you do, then you will fall behind.

If your lane is getting ganked by your teammate, then be sure to have your CC/approach ready. DO NOT TOWER DIVE! Even if you do not kill your laning opponent, they will not be in a position to contest the altar. Ideally, you and your jungler would be level 2, and your opponent level 1. After the gank, you will have the option to push out the tower, or help invade the jungle.

You want both lanes to be pushed all the way to tower, or close to it if possible. "But there are no wards! That means that if I push out more then I will be more vulnerable to a gank!" That is what people assume, but that is not the case. Your jungler should be trying to put as much pressure on the opposing jungler as possible. You pushing allows you to go in the jungle on the opponents side to assist in any fight your jungler will definitely have. See the chapter "Vision" for more information.

The Altar

At about this time, the altar will be available to capture. If you do everything right, you will have the advantage, and your opponent won't be able to stop you. Attempt to take your opponents, but don't be so focused on getting it, that you lose the team fight. If you lose the team fight, your opponent will be able to capture your altar and get kills, so they will be the winner of that exchange.

Post Altar

Take any advantage you can. If you get a kill, put pressure on a lane to get a tower. Even if you are just able to get a few hits in, every little bit helps. Be careful. There is a fine line between pressing an advantage and being greedy. Don't make it a habit to get a kill and back out, but understand that being ahead does not make you invincible. If you get a kill, then going to capture the altar will draw your opponent out a lot of times allowing you to pick them off and get even further ahead.

If your lane is pushed, help your jungler invade the opponents jungle, or gank the other lane. If you are top lane, make sure the opposing team isn't trying to sneak a vilemaw in.

This may be a situation you end up facing.for top lane orfor bot lane.

You don't want to be in that position. If you are, then you have a good chance to get ganked and die. So what should you do? Ask your jungler to try to meet you at the relic bush on the opponents side, then gank the opposing lane. This turns a situation that is bad for you, into a situation that is good for your team.

Understanding the Twisted Treeline - Jungling

Please read all of the roles, even if you aren't playing it, so you know what to expect from your teammates.

Should I Bring Smite?

Is Smite necessary? Well, you have to look at the reasons you would bring it. There are 3 primary reasons for bringing Smite.

Faster Clear

Securing Vilemaw

Stealing Camps

I can clear camps extremely fast without smite. The problem is, counter jungling, and securing/stealing vilemaw are much harder without it, I am not saying that you absolutely have to have smite, but I highly recommend it. If you do not bring smite, bring a summoner such as Ignite or Exhaust, and not a second selfish spell such as Heal.

Item Choices,Your Route, And The First Gank

The item choice makes a big difference. Examine a few things. Do your opponents have stealth? If so, as an AD jungler, go for Madred's Razors into Grez's Spectral Lantern, If not, then Spirit Stone into Spirit of the Elder Lizard is a solid choice as well. Although it isn't terrible, I don't recommend getting something that isnt a jungle item. The jungle item will help you with getting Vilemaw at level 10 if you are a champ that is capable of it. It also gives you bonus gold.You should finish your jungle item as soon as possible. It will give you much faster clears, and safer counter jungling.

Now the route you should take. Start off at Wraiths. Kill the small ones first, then the big one. Head directly to wolves, and attack the big one. Smite it when it is low enough. This will put you at level 2. From here, you need to look at how your lanes are doing. Do you have a good opportunity to gank? If so, after killing the big wolf, immediately gank a lane. If not, finish up the wolf camp, and gank a lane. Don't be afraid to go into the enemies jungle to do this. If you are ganking top lane, go to relic bush on the opponents side, and circle around on top lane. You usually won't go all the way to the tower bush at this time because being that deep in the enemy jungle that early is dangerous. Also remember that TOWER WILL SEE YOU GO IN THAT BUSH! I see so many people try to sneak into the top tower bush through the jungle, but unless you you a blink/dash, the tower will see you, and your opponents will know you are there.
If ganking bot lane, don't be afraid to go all the way to the bottom tower bush to gank bot. Just remember, the instant you enter the lane from that bush, the tower has vision on you, so your opponent will know they are getting ganked. The tower won't hit you though, so don't worry about that.

This picture shows the route you should take. The brown, green, and pink lines are the possible ganking paths. Be sure to go all the way in the bush on that side before ganking. You don't want to ignore the bush and the enemy jungler be sitting in it, able to follow you immediately.

Afterwards, if both of your teamates are pushing, try to invade the opponents jungle. This puts pressure on the jungler, and makes the laning opponents make bad moves to help the jungler out. Always be aware of which lanes are winning and losing. This determines if your teamates will be able to help you in a jungle skirmish, or if the opponent will get help in a jungle skirmish.

The Altar

It's decision making time. Is your team ahead at this point? Are both of your teammates pushing? Is the enemy jungler low? Go for the opponents altar. Ping that you are going for it so that your lane opponents understand to come help. If successful, clear out as much of the opposing jungle as you can, then go back and capture your altar. This gives your team a nice damage boost, and helps with the snowballing.

Post altar

A lot of this will be based on the team more than just yourself. Generally, you won't be clearing your jungle. You may take 1 or 2 camps when they are up, but a lot your time will spent either ganking, or counter jungling. Build for a strong presence. You don't want to be a tank that the enemy team ignores that can't even peel. If you are unsure of what to do, wait in the relic bush. If possible, wait in the bush on your opponents side. The more vision you can give, the better. See the chapter titled "Vision" for more info. DO NOT go to the enemy golems/wraiths if your teamates are not in lane/the lanes arent pushed. You may get lucky, but you will probably end up feeding.

Vilemaw

To Vile or Not to Vile. That is the Question

One of the biggest mistakes people make, is going after vile at the wrong time. I have seen a lot of games completely change because of a bad call on going to vilemaw. If you are going to, understand that many junglers can take him on solo as soon as he spawns. Vilemaw gets stronger as the game goes on. The instant it spawns (10 minute mark), it is pretty weak.

If you are going to vilemaw, as a jungler, make sure top lane is pushed so that no minions can see you. Ping if you need help, and don't go for it unless top lane is present. Even if you can solo it, a curious opponent checking its lane will be able to kill you and vilemaw, even if you are ahead. You want back up just in case.

As a laner, you want to be sure to have your lane pushed as far as you can. Don't make the mistake a lot of laners make, and get real close to vilemaw while your jungler is doing it. Your opponent will realize that you are getting close to help out if needed, and check vile themselves. If your jungler is soloing it, then they will be weak.

Some Vilemaw Tips

Vilemaw attacks whoever is closest to it.
Vilemaw's claw attacks are AOE.
Due to those first 2 points, it is best to have 1 person tank it on one side, and 2 people on the other side attacking it from further away. The 2 people on the other side wont take damage from vilemaw because it will be focusing on the person closest to it.
Things like pantheon block, and jax dodge, will block vilemaw damage
The more poison vilemaw puts on you, the more damage you will take from vilemaw.
Approaches cause a loss of damage. If you use one, then you will do an awkward animation where you jump on top of vilemaw, and then fall back. Do not do this. Not only do you want it for in case an opponent comes up, but the fall back animation takes a while, and will make you lose overall damage output.

Attempting to take them at the wrong time, could cost the game, especially when the death timers are longer. Always be sure to communicate with your team, and understand what your goal is! If your goal is to take the tower, then make sure you all attempt to take the tower. A 3v3 under tower is hard. A 2v3 under tower, because one of your teammates decided the tower was more important than the team fight is even harder.

If you do not have both altars, then attempting to take the second one is a good way to start a fight, and push the game even further in your favor. If one of the inhibitors is vulnerable, always take it out before trying to push the opposite tower. Super minions will destroy the nexus tower, so if they are too focused on protecting the tower you're sieging, the super minions will take the nexus tower out, and give you an advantage.

When Behind

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Right now, you have to examine a lot of things. The 2 biggest, are your opponents team comp, and item build. Always remember that every situation is different. There is never a path you should always take.

Do they have anyone that is good at poking long range( Ziggs, Xerath)?

Do they have anyone that is able to tank tower hits easily ( Maokai, Leona)?

How much health does the tower you are protecting have?

Which buffs do your opponents have?

These will all be critical in understanding which path to take. Usually they will have someone to soak tower shots, and siege your team. This means that tower is usually not a good place to hide. The problem with staying at tower, is that they know exactly where you are. You have no clue where they are. Vision, is map control. This is key to understand when behind. Your opponent is ahead, and they know it. They assume they have control over 66-80% of the map. Split up your opponents.

Push out one of the lanes as a group. This doesn't mean push the wave nonstop. Just push it hard enough that your minions will push to tower. Once the wave starts pushing, a single opponent will usually go to the lane to push it. That creates an opening for you to gank the lone champ. Be careful though. That lone champion could be bait. They may be waiting for you to try to strike. They may also try to split push. When your opponent is ahead, they will make riskier moves because they will assume that you are waiting for them at tower. Use this to your advantage. Waiting at the bush by the outside tower may allow you to catch them by surprise. Don't expect this to work more than once though. If successful, you have to take advantage of this. Taking out an inhibitor is the best way to postpone the game until you can catch up.

Twisted Treeline was redesigned to make turtling hard. Understand this when you decide that it is the strategy you have to take.

Vision

Twisted Treeline catches a lot of people off guard. In Summoners Rift, you are trained to essentially do nothing but last hit, and win by getting more CS than your opponent (I know, its an oversimplification). In 3s, this isn't the case though. Take a look at this map.
In a typical game, both teams even, this will be the amount of vision you have. Vision is essentially map control in a world with no wards. That isn't how we want the map to look though. We want the map to look like this.

In that situation, where both lanes are pushed, and the jungler is preparing for an invade, you control 75% of the map. That means there is 75% of the map is unknown to your opponent.

Too many times though, this

this

or this

is what happens.
That's not what you want. If you are that lone person pushed out, you are in a very vulnerable position. Encourage your teammates to try to push the lane out. Reassure your jungler that you are going to help if a fight breaks out.

Remember
Vision, is map control.

Lets take a look at that final one. You control more of the map, but its still a bad position for you. Why? Because you are now at a number disadvantage.

You have more control of the map but you have no idea where the enemy jungler is. This means that you are at a sever disadvantage because any second, the fight will become a 2v1.

Advanced Tactics

Freezing a Lane

What is freezing a lane?
Freezing a lane is making it so that the lane is pushing towards your tower nonstop. This is accomplished by only last hitting creeps, and having at least 3 caster minions more than your opponent. This is just a TLDR. A full guide on freezing your lane can be found here.

Freezing your lane is bad in 3's though, so why do you need to know how to do this? Because freezing the lane is a misnomer. Technically the lane is pushing, but is pushing in place since you are evening out the fight between you and the minions. If possible, try not to go back to base when your lane is pushing. That will allow your opponent to catch back up in levels. Instead, you want the lane to be pushing towards (but not all the way to) your tower. The easiest way to ensure the lane is pushing back, is to push it all the way to tower. If that isn't an option though, then use the mechanics of freezing a lane to make sure the it pushes.

Tips

Note, these are pretty much all located in other parts of the guide. This is just a collection of all of them.
Vilemaw only attacks the person closest to it. Use this to take turns tanking vilemaw by having one person on each side of it.

If you control the altar, it gives true sight for its area. Use this for an advantage against invisible units.

Many abilities give vision of the fog of war. Use these before entering a bush. Due to how small the map is, you should always assume the bush has an opponent in it.

More will be added in this chapter soon

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any please ask. There is one question I want to answer since I know it will be asked. I want to get it out of the way immediately

Is X champion any good?These kinds of questions are difficult. The meta is constantly changing as champions get buffed or nerfed. I have compiled this guide completely by myself, and with League having over 100 champions, it is impossible for me to stay up to date on them. That is why I won't answer these questions. Even if it is a champion I am very familiar with, things change. The champions I have listed in my "tier list" are there because they have been strong for a long time, and I don't believe that will change anytime soon.

TO DO List

Add in depth videos for each section.
Sections to receive videos:

Jungling

AP Bot

Top Lane

Ganking

Counter Jungling

Vilemaw Tanking

More Advanced tactics

Revision History

v 1.04 Season 4 is over. Added a section for advanced tactics. Still much work to be done here though! Also added a to do list.
v 1.03 added a section on how to handle the late game, and anchor points for the main portions of the guide to make jumping sections easier.
v 1.02 added additional info to the laning section. What to do if you're pushed, but your teammates aren't.
V 1.01 Some typos fixed. Color added. Should you bring smite?
V 1.0 Guide Published